Cortisol News and Research

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Cortisol is a hormone made by the adrenal cortex (the outer layer of the adrenal gland). It helps the body use glucose (a sugar), protein, and fats. Cortisol made in the laboratory is called hydrocortisone. It is used to treat many conditions, including inflammation, allergies, and some cancers. Cortisol is a type of glucocorticoid hormone.

NORD, Corcept partner to establish Cushing's Syndrome Patient Assistance Program

In partnership with Corcept Therapeutics Inc., the National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) has established a Cushing's Syndrome Patient Assistance Program for patients with endogenous Cushing's syndrome who need financial assistance with certain costs related to their medical diagnosis and/or care.

7 Apr 2012

Music listening can effectively enhance well-being and health

Music can evoke positive emotions, which in turn can lower the listener's stress levels. Everyday music listening is therefore a simple and effective way to enhance well-being and health, according to a new doctoral thesis in psychology from the University of Gothenburg.

6 Mar 2012

Meda announces positive results from three MP29-02 studies on allergic rhinitis

Meda announced today positive results of three studies of MP29-02 (tentatively called Dymista), a novel intranasal formulation of azelastine hydrochloride and fluticasone propionate.

5 Mar 2012

Childhood adversity may lead to epigenetic changes in glucocorticoid receptor gene

In a look at how major stressors during childhood can change a person's biological risk for psychiatric disorders, researchers at Butler Hospital have discovered a genetic alteration at the root of the association.

28 Feb 2012

New kind of on-off switch for cortisol release in the brain discovered

After we sense a threat, our brain center responsible for responding goes into gear, setting off a chain of biochemical reactions leading to the release of cortisol from the adrenal glands.

23 Feb 2012

Telomeres - the indicators of aging - are highly susceptible to stress and depression

Stress has numerous detrimental effects on the human body. Many of these effects are acutely felt by the sufferer, but many more go 'unseen', one of which is shortening of telomere length.

22 Feb 2012

Corcept receives FDA approval for Korlym to treat endogenous Cushing's syndrome

Today, Korlym (mifepristone) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to control high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) in adults with endogenous Cushing's syndrome.

18 Feb 2012

Stress levels of unemployed people linked more to their surroundings

Stress levels of unemployed people are linked more to their surroundings than their age, gender, disposable income, and degree of deprivation, a study shows.

16 Feb 2012

Top four reasons why many dieters fail to lose weight

It's been more than one month since the new year and swimsuit season is lurking on the horizon - how are those weight-loss resolutions working out? "Losing weight is one of the top resolutions made every year, yet only 20 percent of people achieve successful weight-loss and maintenance," says Jessica Bartfield,MD, internal medicine who specializes in nutrition and weight management at Loyola University Health System's Gottlieb Memorial Hospital.

15 Feb 2012

Working 11 hours or more a day linked to depression

New research suggests that working for 11 hours or more a day may not only tire an individual but also raise the risk of depression.

29 Jan 2012

Narcissistic men may have more physical problems in the long term: Study prediction

Narcissism is a condition which is characterized by excessive love of oneself. As a personality trait, narcissism is characterized by a sense of grandiosity, entitlement and low empathy. New research indicates that it is not only an irritating psychological glitch but it may be physically damaging for men. This does not appear to be the case for women, however, the study of 106 undergraduate students found.

24 Jan 2012

New hypothesis seeks to explain how stress can cause obesity

Stress can make you fat - and being obese can create stress. A new hypothesis seeks to explain how. Diet and lack of exercise are not sufficient to explain the worldwide rise in obesity. Stress is one of many other factors which could contribute, according to human biologist Brynjar Foss from the University of Stavanger.

19 Jan 2012

Natural options against weight gain, sugar cravings, and insulin resistance

The holidays have come and gone, but many of us may still be battling intense sweet cravings leftover from the season's festivities. Excessive sugar cravings can be a sign that your blood glucose levels are out of balance which, if left unchecked, can lead to insulin resistance and Metabolic Syndrome, also known as "Pre-Diabetes."

11 Jan 2012

$Viamet commences VT-464 Phase 1/2 trial in castration-refractory prostate cancer$

Viamet commences VT-464 Phase 1/2 trial in castration-refractory prostate cancer

Viamet Pharmaceuticals, Inc., announced today that dosing has begun in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial of VT-464, an oral, potent and lyase-selective CYP17 inhibitor for the treatment of castration-refractory prostate cancer.

4 Jan 2012

Horticultural activities influence mentally challenged people's ANS and cortisol response

Participation in horticultural activities can improve confidence and social skills, cultivate a positive attitude, and rejuvenate the mind and body. Many studies have emphasized the effects of horticultural activities in relation to physical and psychological rehabilitation, but few have considered the influence of these types of activities on mentally challenged people's autonomic nervous system (ANS) and on the stress hormone cortisol.

13 Dec 2011

Infants with low salivary cortisol levels develop fewer allergies

A new study from the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet shows that infants with low concentrations of the stress-related hormone cortisol in their saliva develop fewer allergies than other infants. Hopefully this new knowledge will be useful in future allergy prevention.

13 Dec 2011

Simple mindful eating, stress-reduction techniques help prevent weight gain in obese women

Many dread gaining weight during the holiday season, but there may be hope for those who find that stress causes them to reach for yet another helping of holiday goodies. In a study by UCSF researchers published online in the Journal of Obesity, mastering simple mindful eating and stress-reduction techniques helped prevent weight gain even without dieting.

8 Dec 2011

First study of cortisol awakening response in infants

Cortisol may be the Swiss Army knife of hormones in the human body -- just when scientists think they understand what it does, another function pops up. While many of these functions are understood for adults, much less is known about how cortisol operates in babies and toddlers, especially when it comes to an important phenomenon called the cortisol awakening response, or CAR.

2 Dec 2011

Herbicide atrazine linked to reproductive dysfunction

An international team of researchers has reviewed the evidence linking exposure to atrazine - an herbicide widely used in the U.S. and more than 60 other nations - to reproductive problems in animals. The team found consistent patterns of reproductive dysfunction in amphibians, fish, reptiles and mammals exposed to the chemical.

29 Nov 2011

Caregivers have stress reactions that put them at greater risk for physical health problems

When a person with mild cognitive impairment is agitated or restless, caregivers can expect to find they are more edgy as well. According to research conducted at Virginia Tech, the more a caregiver's day is disrupted by the unsettled behaviors of their loved one, the more they find themselves unable to meet or balance their own home and family work loads.